Photo by Hank Lohmeyer
Newly elected town trustee Bob Michael and re-elected trustee Dayton Myers, both elected to four-year terms, recite their oaths of office at the April 21 meeting of the Cedaredge Town Board.

Photo by Hank Lohmeyer
Cedaredge Mayor Gene Welch pledges his oath of office on April 21.

Photo by Hank Lohmeyer
Ray Hanson recites the official oath following his appointment to a two-year term on the town board.

A new Cedaredge mayor and three new town trustees recited their oaths of office and began work on a long evening's business agenda during the town board's regular April 21 meeting.

Outgoing Mayor Pat Means was honored with a testimonial from her successor, Gene Welch, and with a plaque honoring her service to the town.

Welch compiled "a very small list" of accomplishments for the town during Means' term of office.

"I think the town owes her a lot," said Welch. "She cares for the town."

Among Means' contributions and accomplishments as mayor, Welch noted the following ones: active Lions Club member, serves on the Cedaredge library board, Region 10 representative for the town, forming the town Historical Preservation group, planning commission service, active member of the Chamber of Commerce, ladies golf, and completion of the downtown upgrade project and the new wastewater treatment plant coming online.

A first order of business for the new town board was to fill a vacancy. Ray Hanson had chosen to run for mayor rather than for a second consecutive term as trustee. With only two other candidates seeking the three open trustee seats, one trustee vacancy was left. It was promptly filled as Hanson was unanimously appointed back onto the board to serve until the next election in two years.

There was some confusion whether Hanson's appointment would be until the year 2020, as indicated on the meeting business agenda, or until the next municipal election scheduled in two years.

Though the official meeting agenda listed the appointment through 2020, with Hanson's guidance town officials were directed to a section of the home rule charter specifying such changes. It was agreed, as Hanson had stated, that his appointment back onto the board will be for two years, or until 2018. Hanson was then voted to serve also as mayor pro-tem.

In other business during their April 21 regular meeting, the Cedaredge trustees dealt with the following items:

• Trustees adopted a recommendation for the town's Historic Preservation Board adding the Cedaredge High School/Elementary School to the town's historic register.

• The board gave preliminary approval for arrangements to borrow money to buy a new tractor and a new police cruiser. The tractor will be put into service for public works use in 30 days and the police car will be ready for delivery in August, trustees were told.

• The police department will join the Cedaredge Rod and Gun Club in order to get firearms practice time closer to home instead of traveling to the Delta-Montrose Technical College campus firing range. The local department has been a member of the club previously, Chief Dan Sanders reported.

• Trustees discussed a complex issue involving filing a water right on sewer plant wastewater discharge. Effluent flows might one day be used for pumping to irrigate the golf course, trustees were told.

•It was stated by staff that the town's lagoons had been discharging 42 million gallons per year of treated effluent from the sewage treatment lagoons into Alfalfa Ditch and Fruitgrowers Reservoir.

• Public works staff reaffirmed that it is still not known how much money the operational costs will be to pump the new sewer plant's effluent flows a mile uphill to the discharge point at Surface Creek.

• The Library Friends made $750 from the spring book sale, it was reported.

• The mayor was given authority to execute documents for two grants: a $380,000 grant for replacing the Jay Avenue bridge; and an $8,300 grant for repairs made last year to Slide Rock and Calumet reservoirs.

• The board approved up to $5,700 for purchase of major appliances for use in the Civic Center kitchen.

• The board approved a lease/purchase agreement through the Grand Mesa Water Conservancy District for the one half of water in Slide Rock Reservoir it does not already own.

• Trustees discussed the process for decommissioning a small hydroelectric generating unit located above the water treatment plants.